Chapter Twelve #2
Owen nodded. “Exactly. Sometimes a dentist or lawyer owns his office building and then rents space to other businesses. If you find someone who’s between tenants, that’s an option too.”
“We could even use warehouse space, and if it needs fixing up, we could ask local businesspeople to help with the remodeling and redecorating,” Holly added.
Owen nodded. “Now you’re catching on.”
“The company could write off whatever rent they would’ve received rather than losing all the revenue with the space sitting empty.
Plus, they’d get all the other advantages I mentioned earlier.
” Carly turned to Holly who sat typing notes on her iPad.
“We’ll work on the pros and cons for the report later, but I have one to note.
A drawback to this idea is often potential donors want to tour the facilities.
If the administrative offices are off sight, we’d have to transport them here.
That would affect our insurance rates or might cause other concerns. ”
“I have a couple of suggestions for on-site offices,” Owen said. “You can approach local builders and contractors about constructing offices as opposed to donating money.”
“Do companies really do that? It seems as if that’s asking for a huge donation,” Holly said.
“It’s not as big as you might think because their cost is lower than what you’d be charged. You can also encourage companies to get suppliers to donate materials. That would leave them with primarily labor costs.”
Carly turned to Holly. “Two advantages to note on this proposal are office space on site and facilities designed for our specific needs.”
“And a drawback is we’d have to make do in this space longer,” Holly added.
“Also add we could name the building after the benefactor the way colleges and medical centers do for major donors,” Carly said, “If we don’t, we place a plaque outside the front door detailing the generous donation.
Inside we could have an area illustrating the building stages and again acknowledge our donor. ”
Holly nodded as she typed.
“I have one last idea. Like the first, this would get new space quickly and would also be on site,” Owen said.
“Another one? I shouldn’t tell you this because it’ll make your head so big you won’t get out the door, but I revise my earlier statement. Holly was right. You are a life saver.”
Owen turned to Holly. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell her my last suggestion after that comment.”
“Then take pity on me. I’m tired of having to leave whenever Carly makes a ‘confidential director call,’” Holly said, flashing air quotes.
“That would get old.”
“And it stinks worse in cold or lousy weather. One day I left when it was raining. I stepped out the front door into a giant puddle and ruined my favorite shoes.”
“She ruined her favorite shoes, Owen. Shoes are becoming casualties. That’s how dire our situation is. I’m lucky she didn’t quit after that,” Carly pleaded.
Owen laughed and raised his hands in defeat. “Okay. I can’t fight two women when shoes are involved. Here’s my last idea. We ask Clint McMillan, American Mobile Homes’s owner, to donate a mobile home. Instead of setting it up like a house, we’d turn it into offices.”
We. Carly froze. The word should send concern rippling through her, but instead, a sense of calm, a comfortable feeling slipped around her like her favorite jeans.
Not about to examine the thought further, she tried to envision how they would utilize the rooms in a mobile home for different purposes.
After flipping to a clean page on her legal pad, she franticly documented her reflections, the possibilities spiraling over each other.
“Holly and I could each use a bedroom as an office, while the living space could be set up the same as a front office with a reception area. We could use another bedroom as a conference and education room.”
A bright smile on her face, Holly said, “Maybe we could even schedule volunteers on a regular basis to answer the phone and do light office work freeing me up for other duties. But best of all, with your own office you’d have privacy for confidential meetings or calls.”
“Thus, saving the shoes,” Owen added.
“Yippee,” Holly squealed.
Carly tapped her index finger on her leg as she assessed the possibility. “I think this last one has the most potential since Clint’s a current donor and a veteran.”
“Hopefully, he’d donate a home large enough we have space to grow, but the plan also has the advantage of getting y’all moved quickly. You could pick a unit like any customer would, as opposed to starting with the design phase.”
“Good point, Owen. Make sure we put that in our recommendation, Holly,” Carly said.
Carly’s assistant nodded and continued typing.
“I can’t thank you enough. All that’s left is hammering out details with the pros and cons of each idea and we’re ready for the board.
” Carly sank back in her chair amazed how much time and effort Owen must have spent on this.
It also showed his talent for fundraising.
Unlike her. She chewed on her lower lip.
Asking for donations wasn’t her strength.
Not even with people she knew well. Despite planning what to say, she fumbled over the words, and that was for smaller donations.
How would she find the courage to convince a businessman for contributions of this magnitude?
“You’re concerned. Whatever proposal you go with, I’m happy to go with you when you make your request,” Owen said, surprising Carly with his perception.
He knew her so well despite their years apart. Had anyone ever known her the way Owen did? Again, she found comfort in his comment. She could get used to having someone sense what she felt when she couldn’t put her emotions, her fears into words.
“I appreciate that. You’d be a great asset, especially considering these were your ideas,” Carly said.
“I’ll present each suggestion, along with my assessment and recommendation to the board tomorrow afternoon, but I like the mobile home idea because it’s on site and gets us new space the quickest.” She turned to Owen.
“Once I have their approval, we can set up a meeting about how to proceed.”
Owen nodded. “Consider me your number one fundraising volunteer. Now let’s tackle fleshing out your proposal while my brain’s still firing on all cylinders.”
“You don’t have plans for the rest of day?” Carly asked.
“Physical therapy was all I had today.”
His statement caught Carly off guard. Last week, Owen would’ve tossed out some suggestive comment such as I’m all yours, but it’ll cost you. Then he’d have added an enticing grin and passion would’ve flared in his eyes.
Over the next hour as they worked on the proposal while Holly saw to other duties, Owen remained polite and gentlemanly, and Carly hated every minute of it.
She missed his humor, his teasing, even the blasted innuendoes.
When the door closed behind him, Holly sank into the chair across from Carly, a wide silly grin on her face.
“I meant to tell you this when I arrived, but Owen was here.” Her assistant’s grin widened.
“Our office space won’t be the only thing expanding around here in the next few months. ”
Carly studied her slender, petite assistant. “I don’t get the joke.
Brent and I decided to wait until after the first trimester this time before we said anything, but now that I’m officially in my fourth month we’re sharing the news. I’m pregnant! The baby’s due mid-November.”
“Congratulations,” Carly said as she rushed across her desk to give Holly her a quick hug. “No lifting anything heavier than a coffee cup, and speaking of that, we should get a second pot for decaf.”
Holly pointed to a thermos on her desk beside her coffee cup. “Just to be on the safe side I gave up caffeine when we started trying.”
How had she missed Holly bringing a thermos of her own coffee?
Had she been that caught up in her own drama?
“I’m so thrilled for you and Brent,” Carly said as questions tumbled through her head.
Ones such as whether Holly planned on working until the baby arrived or if she planned to continue working after the birth.
Not knowing what legally she was allowed to ask an employee, she made a mental note to check with the lawyer for do’s and don’ts.
While Carly was excited for Holly, she couldn’t help but worry this would affect her plan for her assistant to become executive director.
Holly might not want to assume more responsibility now.
It would definitely affect the board’s evaluation of her, but Carly refused to worry.
So the board had to look harder for an outside candidate.
That didn’t mean she’d have to change her plans.
Owen’s face as he’d raised his hands in defeat, his eyes sparkling with amusement when they’d discussed the shoe disaster flashed in her mind. For the first time since she’d become executive director, a flicker of doubt hit her at the thought of leaving Service.
*
After leaving Carly’s office, Owen spotted Ryder shooting hoops in the driveway and joined the teen. “How’s it going?”
Ryder shrugged and tossed the basketball at the hoop. The ball clanged against the rim and bounced out so far, the kid had to chase it down.
“Thanks for writing me while I was deployed,” Owen said.
“Wasn’t my idea.”
“Still, it gave me something else to think about.” Owen nodded to the basketball hoop. “Mind if I join you? I could use the exercise.” Plus, he figured the kid could use to unload some anger.
Ryder passed him the ball. “Ten bucks says you can’t hit a shot from there.”
Owen judged the distance to be less than three-point range, but close enough to make him sweat. “That’s a tough order for a first shot. At least let me warm up.”
“If you’re not up for it, no big deal.”